The Spirit Girls by Dawn Merriman

Author:Dawn Merriman [Merriman, Dawn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781837904020
Published: 2023-05-08T16:00:00+00:00

SEVENTEEN

KEATON FLYNN

The phone rings, waking me up. Sheryl, my fiancé, stirs next to me. “This better be important. It’s the middle of the night,” she grumbles.

I check the caller ID and see Aunt Val’s name. I sit upright, fully awake. This can’t be good.

“Is everything okay?” I ask without saying hello. Images of Dad in the hospital fill my mind.

“No. Everything is not okay.”

“Is it Dad? Or Rylan?” I can only imagine my sister getting into trouble this late at night.

“Nothing like that. They are fine. I’m in trouble.”

Sheryl sits up with a worried look. “What is it?” she mouths silently, pushing her hair out of her face.

I cover the phone and tell her, “It’s Aunt Val.” I uncover the phone. “What kind of trouble?” I check the time. I can’t imagine Val even up at this time of night, let alone in trouble.

“Will you come?”

“Of course, but come where? Val, what’s going on?” I start pacing the room.

“You know that girl Celeste that we found dead here?”

“I do.” The whole town knows about it, but I don’t point that out.

“There’s been another one. Another murder.” Her voice breaks and she hiccups a little. “It was a-awful. So much b-blood.”

“They don’t think you had anything to do with it, do they? That’s not what you mean.”

“That’s exactly what I mean.” Her voice turns hard. “That Ford Pierce is taking me in for questioning. George found the girl and he got her blood on him which got it on me. They think that looks suspicious.”

Sheryl is watching me intently, trying to gauge the conversation by my responses.

“That’s ridiculous. He should know better.”

“That’s what Rylan said.”

“Why was Rylan there?”

“Because I called her.”

“You called her to a crime scene?”

“I didn’t know who else to call. I was hoping she could see the girl’s ghost and get some information out of her.”

That’s actually a good plan. “And did she?”

“No. At least, not yet.”

“Where are you now?”

“I’ve been detained and put in a car to wait. They are going to search my house for evidence. They can do that right?”

“Did you give your consent?”

Val is quiet a moment. “I’m not sure. It all happened so fast. I think I said something like search away you won’t find anything.”

“That sounds like consent. They will probably ask again just to be sure they have all their Is dotted.”

“Should I give it?”

“If you have nothing to hide, then it wouldn’t hurt.”

“I didn’t think I had anything to hide before, but they found that blood on my sweater and ran crazy with it.”

I scan my room for some pants to pull on. “Just sit tight, and I’ll be right there.”

“Where am I going to go?”

“Good point. Just hang in there and give me a few minutes.”

“I’ll be here,” she says ruefully. “Thank you, Keaton. Truly.”

I hang up and meet Sheryl’s questioning look. “There’s been another murder on Aunt Val’s property. I really shouldn’t say more than that at this time.”

“Always the lawyer,” she grumbles. “Is your aunt okay?”

I’m not sure how to answer.

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